Disclaimer: This story was started in July 2022. It will not follow the canon storyline.
Aether almost liked the blizzard.
Granted, he couldn't feel his backside anymore. But it was the perfect cover for his disguise. His blond hair was tucked behind his fur hood. His thick scarf masked half of his face. His golden eyes were hidden under the dark goggles he purchased. He warped his white fur cloak tighter around him as he plodded into the darkness.
After a few weeks of carriage ride, he arrived in the frozen city of Snezhnaya. The fact he's made it this far was undoubtedly a team effort. First, Ayato and Ningguang provided him with the necessary supplies to survive the brutal winter. Next, Yelan and Yae Miko secured him a safe passage to Snezhnaya. A few well-placed words and Mora helped him sneak into the border undetected. Finally, Xiao and Rosaria assaulted several Fatui strongholds, distracting them away from his path. His journey was the definition of perfection.
Aether recalled his journey in Teyvat. For the past year, he's met so many extraordinary people. Gods and ordinary folks alike united together for a common goal. Now, his journey was almost over. The Cryo Archon Tsaritsa was within reach. While his heart was still filled with worries for his sister, he couldn't deny his incredible experience in Teyvat. Without a doubt, he'd remember this world for centuries to come.
His path took him into an empty street. The lit street lanterns swung widely in the freezing wind. A few inches of snow lined the street, revealing bare pavement. The buildings at the side stood tall and grey. From a few windows, he could see candlelights flickering lonesomely. The sound of the snowstorm drowned out any noises around him.
At the end of the street, there were more signs of life. Inside a well-lit house, people were cheering loudly. Warm amber light emitted from the frosty windows. As he approached it, he saw the sign "Strannik Inn" swung above the wooden door. After double-checking his outfit, Aether stepped inside.
The inn was filled to the brim. The wall candles illuminated the rustic wood interior. The smell of ale permeated the inn. Scores of people sat in the dinner hall, celebrating at their respective round tables after a long day's work. They spoke about their Archon. About how great and benevolent she was. The others were rejoicing that the traitor was caught at last.
Aether loosened his cloak but kept his face hidden. He approached the innkeeper. Without saying a word, he passed him a pouch of Mora and a note. The innkeeper read the note lazily.
"You're a mute?" He rolled his eyes. "Whatever. Take the room on the left. Can't miss it."
Aether nodded. He hurried into the room and shut the door behind him. With a tired sigh, he dropped his luggage onto the floor, making a sharp creaking noise. Outside, the strong wind hammered against the window. But the room remained cosily warm. The small fireplace ensured that.
As he removed his disguise, a heavily dressed Paimon appeared out of thin air.
"Sigh, we're finally in Snezhnaya." She slumped her shoulders. "Paimon is exhausted."
"But you were only floating," he countered.
Paimon stomped in the air. "Hey! Do you know how tiring it is to be invisible?!"
Aether simply chuckled in response. From the moment he met her, she could disappear from sight on command. It wasn't entirely clear how she could do that. Her explanations have been unhelpfully vague. All she could say was that it was like "jogging". As such, she was annoyed for most of the journey. When he suggested she could simply hide in his luggage, he received a light smack on his head.
Paimon floated around, inspecting every part of the room. Her tiredness gradually replaced her curiosity. Eventually, she settled on sitting on the only bed in the room.
She asked, "I know it's a bit late. But is Scaramouche really going to be okay?"
Aether sighed. Truthfully, he was also skeptical about Scaramouche's plan. After the Fatui retrieved the Pyro Gnosis, Scaramouche decided it was finally enough. He told Aether that he knew where the Gnoses and Tsaritsa would most likely be. All they needed to do was to reach Snezhnaya and Scaramouche would take care of the rest. However, Scaramouche also said he must go alone first. "Easier to avoid detection", he claimed. Seeing how he was no closer to his goal, Aether relented.
"He's our best chance to the stolen Gnoses," Aether answered.
"I guess so. It's just that he and the Fatui didn't exactly end on good terms."
"I know, but he knows what he's doing."
She nodded. "It's surprising how much he's changed."
They were still unpacking when someone screamed outside. A fight has broken out. Glasses were broken, tables were smashed, and swords were swung. Aether instinctively stepped between the door and Paimon. He unsheathed his blade, ready to strike at anything. But nothing came. The sound of fighting continued for a few more minutes. Then complete silence.
"You can come out now, Aether," a man yelled gruffly.
A chill went down Aether's spine. He looked at Paimon, whose eyes shared the same sentiment. After exchanging a wordless discussion, they carefully emerged from their room.
The hall was an utter mess. Puddles of beer were everywhere. Splinters of wood littered the room. All the patrons were gone save for one person. A man past his prime sat on a damaged chair, panting lightly. He brushed his hand over his sweaty grey hair. His scrubby beard was slightly burnt with a few droplets of blood on it. A green cloak hung around his white tunic. His most distinctive feature, however, was his missing right arm.
"You're lucky I arrived in time. They weren't fooling around," the man said as he took a sip from his silver flask.
Amongst the chaos, four Fatui Pyro Agents sprawled dead across the room. Their clothes were soaked in blood. Slashes of red lines cut across their bodies. One of them lay supine on a table. His neck was displaced at an unnatural angle. His mask broke open, revealing a shocked expression.
"Who are you?" Aether asked.
"My name is Hamad. I'm a traveller like yourself. As you can see, your arrival didn't go unnoticed."
"Huh? But we were so careful," Paimon said.
Hamad chuckled. "The Fatui are smarter than they look. They were going to ambush you during your sleep."
"But how did they know?" Aether narrowed his eyes at him.
Before Hamad could answer, the innkeeper peeked out behind his reception desk. His eyes darted from one place to another. Eventually, they settled on Aether.
He shakily pointed at him. "Y-You're—"
Hamad interrupted, "The most wanted man in Snezhnaya. Yes, we're aware. Thank you."
The innkeeper yelped and fell into silence.
Hamad looked at Aether. "Look, I'm more than happy to answer any questions you have. But not here. I'll take you somewhere safe."
Paimon frowned. "Hey, why should we go with you?"
"You…want to stay here?" Hamad gestured to the fallen Fatui Agents.
Both Paimon and Aether shook their heads.
"Excellent. Then pack up your belongings and come with me."
Aether rushed back into his room. He stuffed everything into his luggage, almost breaking the leather as he slammed the bag shut. He quickly donned his disguise and left the room. When he arrived back to the hall, Hamad was gazing at one of the dead bodies. His hazel eyes seemed heavy and distant. Aether looked at Paimon again. After a quick nod, she disappeared.
Hamad broke his trance when Aether stepped closer. "Are you ready? Let's go."
He swung the blood off his sabre and resheathed it. As if forgetting something, he stopped abruptly and turned towards the innkeeper.
"You know what I can do. You were away when this happened, understand?"
"O-Of course."
"Good." Hamad tossed a bag of Mora on the reception desk. "One of your patrons dropped it. You should keep it safe."
The innkeeper frowned for a moment, but then his eyes shone. "I-I see. Thank you!"
Hamad looked at Aether. "Okay, quick pace but don't run. Let me handle any talking."
With a thick hood covering the top half of his face, Hamad pushed the door open. The icy wind bit into Aether's skin. Shivering from the cold, he shadowed Hamad into the empty street. No words except the howling wind accompanied them as they walked further away from the city centre. A few more turns later, they found themselves on a lightless, derelict street. Most of the windows were either broken or boarded. A few shadowy figures peeked from their doors before slamming them shut.
Eventually, Hamad stopped in front of an inconspicuous metal door. Three small buttons, smeared with snow and dirt, were beside it. Hamad pressed the lowest one. Nothing happened. For a while, they stood still and wordless under the growing blizzard. Just when Aether was about to say something, heavy footsteps approached behind the door. With a loud creaking noise, a viewing hole slid open. A pair of grey eyes stared at Hamad.
"Well, if it isn't ol' Ham. Got yourself into trouble again, eh?"
"Nah, I obviously miss your company. Are you going to let us in or not?"
"Us?" His eyes shifted towards Aether. "Who's the kid?"
Hamad scoffed. "Does it matter?"
"Ha, fair."
Three heavy latches slid behind the door. As it slowly swung open, a wave of musty smell washed over Aether. A dim lantern on the sidewall revealed a tall, stout man. Sweats dripped down his oily, coarse face. His white undershirt was stained with what Aether hoped to be yellow soup. A polished metal hook was attached to his right wrist.
"Come in. I don't bite." The man grinned, showing his few missing teeth.
They almost bumped into him as they passed through the doorway. The sour smell became more and more pungent the further they went. At the end of the dim hallway, a side door half opened, revealing a large, carpeted room. A few round tables place haphazardly around the room. A large, lit chandelier hung on the ceiling. Spots of white candle wax dotted the floor.
Hamad led Aether to an empty table in the corner. He brushed away the food debris on the table before mumbling something about "sticky". With his sabre beside him, he rested his back against the wall.
"I presume Paimon is next to us?" Hamad glanced around. "You can come out now. It's quite safe here."
Right on cue, Paimon materialized beside Aether.
"Where are we?" she asked.
"This is the Journey's Rest. Home for anyone who has wronged the Fatui."
Aether surveyed the place. "Is it usually this quiet?"
"Most don't survive this long. On that note, what brings you to the belly of the beast?"
"Before that—how did the Fatui and you know we were coming?" Aether asked.
"…Fair enough."
Hamad held out five fingers.
"Your companions bribed four groups of people—the forgers, your driver, the gatekeepers, and their respective superiors." He wiggled one finger. "But not the stable boy."
"A stable boy sold us out?!" Paimon cried.
"The Fatui are rather generous when it comes to informants. Anyone can report anything for a price."
Aether asked, "Then how did you find us?"
"After receiving his reward, the stable boy went to celebrate in a local tavern. He met a kind uncle and decided to tell him everything." Hamad smiled. "Can you guess who that uncle was?"
Paimon shook her head. "That still doesn't explain why you're helping us."
"Of course not. But it's about time you tell me why you're here, isn't it?"
Aether and Paimon looked at each other. To say Aether was concerned would be a gross understatement. He could tell that Hamad wasn't going to tell them the whole truth. However, he did help them. Had he wished them any harm, he'd simply let the Fatui Pyro Agents do their dirty work.
After a moment, Aether answered, "We're waiting for Scaramouche."
"Ah… That'd be an issue."
"Why is that?"
"Scaramouche has been arrested and found guilty of treason. He'll be executed in three days."
"WHAT?!" Paimon and Aether shouted simultaneously.
Hamad groaned and massaged his ear. "The good news is the Fatui only keeps high-value prisoners in a few places. The bad news—all of them are impregnable."
Paimon fidgeted in the air. "Then what should we do?!"
"I have a few ideas. But I'll need to verify some details." Hamad adjusted his seat. "Now, I should explain why I'm aiding you."
Hamad cleared his throat. "You've been around Teyvat for quite some time. I'm sure you understand the importance of finding the right person…for the right price."
"You…want us to pay you?" Paimon asked in disbelief.
Aether, meanwhile, was unbothered. It wasn't his first time dealing with mercenaries. Just in this world alone, he's met countless opportunists who would do anything for the promise of a reward. Either monetary or otherwise. Though to think Hamad would go such a length…
Hamad continued, "I know enough about the Fatui to exploit them. You're in hostile territory where everyone wants you dead. You're not going to last very long."
"How much?" Aether asked.
"Ten million Mora."
Paimon cringed. "T-Ten million?!"
"Why the surprise? The Fatui has eyes and ears everywhere. It won't be cheap to remain incognito. Besides, you're not lacking in Mora. Especially not with your unusually comprehensive collection of weaponry."
"Still, ten million…" Paimon looked at Aether.
It was certainly not a small amount, Aether thought. One would even call Hamad "greedy" under other circumstances. But his demand wasn't entirely unreasonable. From what Aether has encountered so far, the influence of the Fatui could, indeed, be found in every corner of Teyvat. He'd need someone familiar with their work to gain an upper hand. Given how Hamad has acted so far, he was at least truthful in that aspect.
As Aether pondered, two filled mugs slammed onto the table. It was the bartender, smiling ear-to-ear at Hamad.
"You're gettin' more and more darin' with age, ol' Ham." He looked at Aether. "Ain't you a handsome bounty?"
Hamad sighed. "Your discretion will be paid soon enough, Aleksey."
Aleksey guffawed. "Pleasure doin' business with you. Here, ice-cold beer. On the house."
"…I doubt you can sell them otherwise."
"Wouldn't be much of a 'sell' if I did that, ol' Ham." Aleksey grinned.
As their banter went on, a suspicion appeared in Aether's mind. Aleksey's demeanour and figure reminded him of a certain somebody.
"Are you a Cryogunner?" he asked carefully.
"You're a sharp lad, eh? That's right. I used to be one 'til the Fatui gave me this partin' gift."
He slammed his hook hand onto the table, digging deep into the wood. The table creaked as he yanked his hook back. The sound brought a heavy silence to the room.
It was Paimon who spoke first. "Paimon always wonder why all Cryogunners are so huge. Why is that?"
"He's just fat." Hamad barely looked away from his beer.
A thin smile appeared on Aleksey's face. "You and ya humour. As for ya question, it takes a certain body to be a Cryogunner."
"Their training regimens are highly specialised," Hamad interrupted, "The equipment, skillsets, and movements are designed for people with a matching physique. You might think that'd limit their number. But there's no shortage of recruits."
"All for our glorious, fuckin' nation." Aleksey made a mock salute. "Anyway, nice talkin' to you. Don't let Hamad fool you. He's warmer than he looks."
Hamad simply hummed in response.
Aleksey brushed his hands against his undershirt before strolling away. As Aether looked at him one last time, he turned to Hamad.
"Is he—"
"Don't worry, he'd rather die than help the Fatui again." Hamad stopped staring at his mug. "Look, if you hire me, I'll also reveal the locations of other safe havens like this one. All my safe houses in Snezhnaya will be yours as well."
Paimon asked, "How many safe houses do you have?"
"Sufficient," he simply said.
After a moment of hesitation, Aether reached out his right hand. "I accept— Oh…"
"A pleasure." Hamad smiled as he shook the back of Aether's hand.
It was only then that Aether truly looked at his "beer". It was a light-yellow liquid with neither smell nor foam. It was so pale that he could see the bottom of his mug. While it could be a trick of dim light, Aether wasn't so sure.
"Does he serve water?" he asked.
"Nope. If it's any comfort, it should taste like one," Hamad answered as he poured his silver flask into his mug.
"What's that?" Paimon asked.
"Oh, don't worry about it. It helps with the flavour."
Hamad brought it close to his lips before decisively placing it down. He continued to stare at the mug for a while. His face became passive. A silent sigh seemed to have materialised in his mind.
Aether suddenly remembered something. "If it's so difficult to sneak into Snezhnaya, how can my friends get in?"
"Oh, that." Hamad retrieved a journal from his pocket and tore a page. "Here, write down the companions you want and their location. Aleksey can smuggle them to one of my safe houses. Four people should be reasonable enough. But please, ask for the inconspicuous ones."
In one swift motion, Hamad downed his beer. His face contorted in pure agony.
"Argh, Aleksey's beer tastes the same as I remember…" He shivered. "In any case, I'll reserve you two a room. Go and get some rest. It's safe here even if it doesn't smell like it."
Aether watched as Hamad walked away. In truth, he wasn't sure what to think of Hamad. His timing was simply too convenient. His action didn't shed much light on his agenda. While Hamad has been helpful so far, Aether could still recall the bitterness of his first betrayal. For that, he had to be vigilant.
However, there was another more pressing issue.
He gazed at his mug again. After some thought, he pushed it towards Paimon.
"Do you want it?"
"Eh, no thanks."